1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to furniture or supporting structure for supporting personal computers and peripheral equipment for use. The structure, combined with a chair for seating a person, creates a stationary yet movable workstation. The invention finds greatest utility in residences and also office, retail, and other utilitarian work places which require that a personal computer be utilized or are intended to have a personal computer operated therein, but which places are not previously configured as workstations. Any general purpose building, including residential, institutional, commercial, and industrial, may be improved to support personal computers by utilizing the present invention.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Personal computers are becoming increasingly integrated into the commercial economy and also utilized by private consumers for their own purposes and also to interface with the commercial economy. Ergonomics and other practical considerations require that computers be placed on a desk or other suitable working environmental furniture or structure. However, chairs provided for use with desks may possibly not be ergonomically suitable for extended periods of computer use. Many people would prefer to adapt large cushioned or padded chairs of the type typically found in the home to computer use. However, most desks and other supporting structure intended for use with personal computers are not dimensioned and configured to cooperate suitably with computers or indeed to accommodate work related surfaces.
The prior art has suggested approaches to adapt chairs to desk work. An example is seen in U.S. Pat. No. 4,932,718, issued to Ryokichi Yamazaki on Jun. 12, 1990, featuring a coupled chair unit. The chair unit has work surfaces which may be selectively swung into a position suitable for writing, and retracted from the operative position. The chair unit of Yamazaki lacks the versatile adjustability of proximity and angle for a work surface and for a separate monitor support surface, as seen in the present invention.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,435,783, issued to Cecil L. Kollenborn on Apr. 1, 1969, shows a tabletop supported on a stand which can be slid into proximity with a chair, for writing and similar tasks. Proximity to the chair is adjusted only by moving the entire stand. By contrast, the present invention enable adjustment without moving the entire device. The present invention further has two independently adjustable work supporting surfaces, rather than the single surface of Kollenborn.
Combined chairs and working surfaces are seen in U.S. Design Pat. No. 140,524, issued to Auburn Taylor on Mar. 6, 1945, U.S. Pat. No. 207,262, issued to Robert A. Maurer et al. on Mar. 28, 1967, U.S. Pat. No. 230,383, issued to Lyle A. Atkinson on Feb. 19, 1974, U.S. Pat. No. 236,566, issued to Warren D. Parchan on Sep. 2, 1975, and U.S. Pat. No. 250,230, issued to Stine Kotula on Nov. 14, 1978. In each case, a working surface supported on an easy chair or the like is provided. However, by contrast, the present invention lacks the chair itself, and has two independent work supporting surfaces adjustably mounted on two spaced apart posts.
None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.
The present invention sets forth a support structure which supports a personal computer and related peripherals in the organized manner of a workstation. The support structure positions a computer monitor, keyboard, and mouse, and related apparatus such as printer, adjustably and advantageously around a chair. Because of adjustable positioning, any chairs including lounge and xe2x80x9ceasyxe2x80x9d chairs, and even wheelchairs, may be employed as part of the workstation. The work surfaces, and hence the keyboard and monitor, may be positioned exactly according to a user""s wishes. Therefore, the user is afforded both convenience and also comfort wherever a computer workstation is to be established.
The support structure has two work surfaces supported on separate telescoping posts, and a table mounted on a third telescoping post. The first and second posts incorporate swing arms that enable their respective work surfaces to be infinitely adjustable as to proximity to their posts. Height of all of the posts is adjusted by securing telescoping post members at selected heights. One work surface can be inclined to suit.
Auxiliary features include cup holders, drawer, ashtray holder, pen and pencil tray, a drawer for stowing the keyboard and mouse, a speaker stand for accommodating speakers, clips for securing papers to a work surface, additional storage space in the form of a hutch and closed cabinet, wire covers for protecting signal and power cables, and optional power supplies and associated extension cables. In a further option, the swing arms are powered, so that handicapped users can readily adjust proximity of the work surfaces.
Accordingly, it is one object of the invention to provide structure for supporting a personal computer in proximity to a chair not originally designed to cooperate with a computer support.
It is another object of the invention that the support structure be adjustable so that computer components are positioned exactly according to a user""s wishes.
It is a further object of the invention to accommodate small personal and work articles on the support structure.
Still another object of the invention is to accommodate the needs of the handicapped in a computer workstation.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof in an apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.